Azalea plant named ‘AZ 35’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Azalea named ‘AZ 35’ that is characterized by its compact, rounded plant habit with a top to bottom leaf canopy, its two distinct blooming periods from late March to early April and from late July into September in Texas and Mississippi, its spider form petals, that are pink in color and elongated in the spring and less elongated and tinted lavender in the fall, its narrow, sandpaper-textured foliage that is light green in color and blushed purple in the winter, its high level of resistance to spider mites, aphids, lace bugs, its high tolerance to heat stress, its stem and flower buds that are resistant to cold damage down to 14° F., its ease and speed of propagation by cuttings, and its very vigorous growth rate.

Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrida.

Cultivar designation: ‘AZ 35’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Rhododendron plant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Rhododendron hybrida ‘AZ 35’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘AZ 35’. ‘AZ 35’ is a new cultivar of evergreen Azalea grown for use as a landscape plant.

The new cultivar was developed through an on-going breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Poplarville, Miss. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop new cultivars of Azalea that exhibit tolerance to environmental stresses and disease resistance combined with unique flower colors and extended bloom periods.

The new cultivar arose from a cross made in spring 2005 using ‘Primitive Beauty’ (not patented) as the female parent and ‘Fourth of July’ (not patented) as the male parent. The Inventors selected ‘AZ 35’ as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross in fall of 2007.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings in Poplarville, Miss. in spring 2008 by one of the Inventors. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics ‘AZ 35’. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘AZ 35’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Azalea.

-   -   1. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits a compact, rounded mound plant habit with a         leaf canopy from top to bottom.     -   2. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits two distinct, strong blooming periods;         blooming in the spring from late March to early April followed         by a second bloom period in the fall from late July into         September in Texas.     -   3. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits flowers with strap or spider form petals.     -   4. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits spring flowers that are pink in color with         elongated petals and fall flowers that are tinted with lavender         with less elongated petals.     -   5. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits mature foliage that is light green in color         with a purple blush in the winter, narrow in shape, and         sandpaper-like in texture.     -   6. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits a high level of resistance to spider mites,         aphids, lace bugs.     -   7. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits a high tolerance to heat stress; thriving in         summer temperatures that exceed 100° F. for 90 days or more.     -   8. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits stem and flower buds that are resistant to         cold damage when exposed to temperatures down to 14° F.     -   9. ‘AZ 35’ produces many cuttings that are fast and easy to         propagate.     -   10. ‘AZ 35’ exhibits a very vigorous growth rate.         The female parent of ‘AZ 35’, ‘Primitive Beauty’, differs from         ‘AZ 35’ in having white flowers with only a spring bloom cycle         and being less robust in plant vigor. The male parent, ‘Fourth         of July’, differs from ‘AZ 35’ in having a weaker root system,         in being less cold hardy, in having a later starting bloom         period, in having a less rounded plant habit and being more         difficult to propagate. ‘AZ 35’ can also be most closely         compared to the Rhododendron macrosepalum linearifolium (not         patented) and the Rhododendron hybrid cultivar ‘Koromo Shikibu’         (not patented). Rhododendron macrosepalum linearifolium differs         from ‘AZ 35’ in having flowers that are a different shade of         pink with more narrow petals, having only one late spring bloom         cycle, and having a weaker root system that is less tolerant of         overwatering. Both R. macrosepalum linearifolium and ‘Koromo         Shikibu’ are similar to ‘AZ35’ in having spider-form flowers as         compare to the wider petals common to most cultivated azalea         clones. ‘Koromo Shikibu’ differs from ‘AZ 35’ in having flowers         that are lavender in color, in having one bloom period, and in         having a more robust open growth habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Azalea. The photographs were taken of six year-old plants of ‘AZ 35’ as grown outdoors in a 20-gallon container in Poplarville, Miss.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a close-up view of the spring flowers of ‘AZ 35’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the fall flowers of ‘AZ 35’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the winter foliage of ‘AZ 35’.

The photograph in FIG. 4 provides an overall view of the plant habit of ‘AZ 35’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the new Azalea.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of two year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 3-gallon containers in a greenhouse in Grand Saline, Tex. with mature size described for plants 6 years in age as grown outdoors in a trial bed under overhead irrigation in Poplarville, Miss. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General characteristics:     -   -   Blooming period.—Late March to early April and late July to             September in Texas.         -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Upright, rounded, and compact with a leaf             canopy from top to bottom.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches up to 1.3 m in height and 1.5 m             in spread as grown for 6 years.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 7 and 8, exhibits a             high tolerance to heat stress; thriving in summer             temperatures that exceed 100° F. for 90 days or more with             stem and flower buds that are resistant to cold damage when             exposed to temperatures down to 14° F.         -   Diseases.—High level of resistance to mites, aphids, lace             bugs.         -   Root description.—Abundant and fibrous.         -   Propagation.—Softwood cuttings, readily propagated.         -   Growth rate.—Very vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Round.         -   Stem color.—New growth; 138D suffused with 185A, mature             wood; 165A.         -   Stem size.—Main stems; 1, an average of 7 cm in length and 1             cm in width, lateral stems; an average of 22 cm in length             and 3 mm in diameter.         -   Stem surface.—New growth; sparsely covered with woolly             hairs, 1 mm in length and 22A, mature wood; ridged bark,             exfoliating.         -   Stem aspect.—Held upright at an average angle of 15°             (0°=vertical).         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Branching.—Densely-branched, an average of 50 lateral             branches in a 3-gallon container.         -   Internode.—Average of 1.5 cm in mid-range of lateral             branches. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper and lower surface; 145C in             color, both surfaces moderately covered with woolly             pubescence, upper surface; color matches leaf color, 1 mm in             length, lower surface; 26A in color and 1 mm in length.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire and lightly pubescent.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf orientation.—Held horizontal to upright.         -   Leaf aspect.—Upright and slightly cupped downward.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surface, coriaceous,             cartilaginous (sandpaper-like), and shiny.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper and lower surface; 144A,             mature leaves upper surface; 146A, blushed with 94A to 94C             in the winter, mature leaves lower surface; 146C.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 4 cm in length, and 1.5 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—About 25 leaves per lateral branch 22 cm in             length.         -   Petioles.—Average of 4 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter,             151C in color, thickly covered with long woolly hairs 170C             in color and 2 mm in length. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Flowers are solitary and occasionally in             pairs.         -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 10 days, self cleaning.         -   Flower size.—An average of 5 cm in depth and 4 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower shape.—Spider form with flared petal lobes.         -   Flower number.—Average of 4 per lateral stem.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright.         -   Flower bud.—Lanceolate to ovate in shape, an average of 2 cm             in length and 7 mm in diameter, acute apex, color; N78A and             83B.         -   Flower attachment.—Pedicel.         -   Petal number.—5.         -   Petal shape.—Spatulate (strap-like) with upper portion             oblanceolate, in the fall the petals are less elongated with             the upper portion elliptic.         -   Petal aspect.—About 10% fused into tube with lobes flared             outward and slightly overlapping.         -   Petal color.—Spring; N74A to N74C with base 70C and internal             freckles 72A, fall; a blend between N74C and 75A.         -   Petal surface.—Both surfaces glabrous.         -   Petal margins.—Entire and slightly wavy.         -   Petal apex.—Rounded.         -   Petal base.—Fused.         -   Petal size.—Average of 3.5 cm in length and 1.3 cm in width.         -   Petaloids.—None.         -   Sepal number.—5.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate arranged in a whorl.         -   Sepal margin.—Entire.         -   Sepal size.—Average of 5 mm in length and 3 mm in width.         -   Sepal aspect.—Upright.         -   Sepal surface.—Outer surface; dull, slightly sticky to the             touch and densely covered with long soft pubescence up to 3             mm in length and NN155A in color, inner surface smooth and             dull.         -   Sepal apex.—Acute-slightly acuminate.         -   Sepal base.—Fused.         -   Sepal color.—Outer and inner surface; 144B with very light             striping of 187B.         -   Calyx.—Campanulate in shape, average of 6 mm in length and 5             mm in diameter.         -   Peduncles.—An average of 1.3 cm in length and 1 mm in             diameter, surface is slightly glossy and densely covered             with soft pubescence up to 2 mm in length and NN155A in             color, color; base is 144C, then blends to 185A at             mid-section to apex.         -   Pedicels.—An average of 1.4 cm in length and 2 mm in             diameter, flexible strength, held upright, pubescent             surface, N74A in color.         -   Bracts.—Average of 3 at base of flower or pair, wedge-shaped             and cupped inward and occasionally with leaf-like tip, about             8 mm in length and 5 mm in width, base cuneate, apex acute,             outer surface glabrous, sticky to the touch and covered             densely with pubescence 2 mm in length and 163A in color,             inner surface very glossy and smooth, color: outer and inner             surfaces; base 145C, mid-section 144C and apex 144B. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, stigma; club-shaped, about 1 mm in             diameter and a color between 60A and N74A, style; 3.5 cm in             length, 0.5 mm in width and 63A in color, ovary; conical in             shape, 4 mm in length and 3 mm in width, 152A in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; average of 5, filament; average of 2.2             cm in length, N74A in color, anthers; not distinct, few in             number and 72A in color; no pollen observed.         -   Fruit/seeds.—Young seed pod; 1 cm in length, 3 mm in width,             inside the seed pod are many fine string like hairs up to 9             mm in length and NN155A in color, inside and outside are             glossy, color is N144A and N144C at the tip, mature seed             pod; an average of 1 cm in length and 5 mm in width,             surfaces inside and outside are slightly glossy and slightly             sticky to the touch, inside the seed pod are fine string             like hairs up to 2 cm in length and NN155A in color, inside             and outside color is a blend between 145A and 138C suffused             with a blend between 183A and 200A. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named ‘AZ 35’ as herein illustrated and described. 